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HB 33: Self-Defense

GENERAL BILL by Antone ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Watson, C. ; Williams

Self-Defense; Requires county sheriff or municipal police to issue reasonable guidelines for operation of neighborhood crime watch program; authorizes person to use force, except deadly force in defense of property; authorizes person to use deadly force in defense of property to prevent imminent commission of forcible felony; provides that person who uses force is immune from civil action brought by person or persons against whom force is used; revises definition of term "criminal prosecution" with regard to immunity from criminal prosecution & civil action; provides that law enforcement agency's right & duty to fully investigate use of force upon which claim of immunity is based is not restricted; deletes provision that prohibits law enforcement agency from arresting person for using force unless probable cause is found that force used was unlawful; revises when defense of justifiable use of force is unavailable to aggressor; directs FDLE to collect data alleged justifiable use of force incidents & report.

Effective Date: 7/1/2014
Last Action: 5/2/2014 House - Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 89 (Ch. 2014-195)
Bill Text: PDF



Bill History

Date Chamber Action
8/30/2013 House • Filed
10/7/2013 House • Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Justice Appropriations Subcommittee; Judiciary Committee -HJ 12
3/4/2014 House • Introduced -HJ 12
5/2/2014 House • Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 89 (Ch. 2014-195)